Apparatus for removing railroad ballast



July 3, 192s. l1,676,116?,

E. W. TAYLOR APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RAILROAD BALLAST Original Filed `Feb. 2l, 1927 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 1 N July 3, 192.8. -l

* 1,676,063 E. w. TAYLOR APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RAILROAD BALLAST original Filed Feb. 21, 1927 5 sheets-sheet 2 July 3, 1928. 1,676,063

E. W. TAYLOR APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RAILROAD BALLAST Original Filed Feb. 2l, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a l l 2? if/l f7; my'

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uNlTED STATESl PATENT oFFlcE.

ERNEST W. TAYLOR, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO INDUSTRIAL BROWN HOIST CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RAILROAD BALLAST.

Original application :tiled February 21, 1927, Serial No. 169,967. Divided and this application led J'une 22,

" 1927. Serial No. 200,672.

My invention relates more particularly also claims covering other features de- 50 to means for excavating and removing the scribed. Under the regulations of the Patent ballast of railroad beds that lies between Office a divisional application was accrdthe inner ends of the ties of two adjacent ingly required which is hereby made.

tracks, and, a primary object of the inven- As to all matters, therefore, herein shown tion is to provide an eiicient apparatus :that and described, but not claimed, and which 55 will perform all its functions without any were claimed in said application filed Febpart of the same projecting beyond the meruai'y 21, 1927. I hereby disclaim the same dian line between two adjacent tracks, one in favor of said former application as forml0 of which is being occupied by the said aping no part of the invention sought to be paratus, so that no train on the saidadsecured by the present application. G0 jacent track need be slowed down or stopped In the drawings Fig. I is a plan view of because of its' proximity anduoperation. two adjacent railroad tracks, upon one of A further object is to so correlate the sevwhich is movably mounted an apparatus eral co'acting units of the apparatus that the which contains an adaptation of my present whole will be within the confines of the invention; Fig. II is a sectional view of the 65 crosssectional outlines, establishedby railroad-bed taken on the line a-a of Fig. I roads, withrespect to clearances. This reshowing the road-bed and the apparatus in quirenient must be met absolutelyvand inside elevation; Fig. III is a side elevation 1 20 exorably adhered to, and rendersjthe probof the apparatus -with two dirt-cars flexibly lem one of exceptional diiculty. attached to a standard railroad locomotive; 70 A still further object of my invention is FigQIV is a cross-section on the line b-b J,to provide an apparatus wherein grab or of Fig. I, with the excavating member about Y clamshell buckets without flexible connecto dig; Fig.` V is a top view of Fig. IV,

tionsto their supporting means may be used except that the trolley is shown in the upas the excavating element. per limit of its travel; Fig. VI' is a side ele- 75 Grab buckets are found, by experience, to vation ofv Fig. IV; Fig. VII is a cross-sec- .be better adapted for the purpose than the tion on the line c-0 of Fig. I, and Fig.

endless chain buckets, or other types of ex- VIII is an end elevation of the rearward cavators such as generally characterize patend of the-apparatus.

ented efforts to provide ballast-removing 1 and 2 are railroad tracks. c 80 means. v A is a platform or car-body mounted upon Another object of my inyention is to re-V rails 11-1a of the track 1. duce the time now requiredltiigjtaken for ref and 7 designate, respectively, the formoving a given length of track ballast; as ward and rearward ends of the car-body A.

any tying-up of tracks for other than their Near the forward end of the platform or designed purpose works a hardshhip on train car-body A are twoV spaced apart frameschedules, it will be readily understood that structures B and B', made up, respectively, an apparatus of the kindv in question must of vertical posts 3l-56 and 7-8-9--10 40 perform its functions expeditiously as well land the requisite struts and cross members.

as continuously as a whole. By the nature of These structures support excavating buckets 'the elements embodied and employed in my together with mechanisms for operating the invention, this objective isattained. same.

In an application by me filed February Suspended from the structures B and B 45 21, 1927, and bearing Serial Number are trolley tracks or bucket guides G and 169,967, I showed and described drawings Gf, respectively. As the guides are alike a and specifications for the most part identidescription of one only will be given. The 'cal with those herein, and claims correspondguage of the bucket guide track is detering with the claims in this application, and mined by the grab bucket employed, which,

by reason of the principle of its operative construction, when descending along said tracks must be open and therefore requires a clearance between its digging or spade members and the members of the track that constitute the rails. The members of the track, in this case, are channels with their ianges turned toward each other. As will be apparent the channel sections of the tracks G and Gr', by their oppositely arranged flanges, further serve suiiciently to enclose the trucks, and thereby retain the same in their normal relations against t-he force of gravity.

The guide Gf is pivotally connected to the frame B between the posts 7 and 8, and, the rear posts 9 and 10 by means of the pins O, 0, at the upper ends of the posts 8 and 10. As stated above, the gauge of the tracks is determined by thespread 'of the bucket, which,

I indirectly also determines the distance vbetween the front posts 7 and 8, and, the rear posts 9 and 10. This distance must be great enough to accommodate the guides G and G and, of course, always be wider than said U spread.` rIhe track members or channels g-gare held to gauge by yokes y and a hinge or pivot strut l1, that is rigidly connected to the trackmembers g-g at their pivotal ends. The track or bucket-guide G extends from the pivots O O, above the car floor, over and downwardly between and beyond the side posts 7 and 9 to a point at the side of the car-body that is somewhat below the floor ofthe same,`and within the space rdefined by the median line of theftracks.

To assist the yokes to keep the track from spreading rubbing plates p-p are located on the outside of the channel members g-g, between the yokes y-y, to contact with the inside of the posts 7 and 9. Extending laterally from the car; at the elevation of the floor of the same, are rigid track bracing members d-d These bracing members, in alignment with the posts 7 8 and 9-10, are within the cross-sectional outline allotted to cars for standard railroad equipment. Rubbing plates p-p are provided at the lower ends of the guide G to contact with the braces le-d.

Provision is made to house or stow the bucket guides G and G within the required cross-sectional area when the apparat-us is idle or in transit.' To this end connect-ing rods C-C are pivotally attached to the lower ends of each track member g-g at o and extend inwardly and are pivotally connected at their inner ends to crank mechanisms M-M. These crank mechanisms are connected together by means of a longitudinal through shaft S. As will be observed, upon referring to Fig. IV. the bucket guides may be adjusted outwardly when occasion rIfrolleys T, T, which carry and 'sustain excavating members E, E', are made up of two spaced apart channel members e-e that extend between the track members g-g to points where they meet trucks t-t to which they are pivotally connected by means of extended truck axles #1 -ta. Flanged truck wheels t2, t2, t2, t2, are adapted to travel between the flanges of the track members g-g. By extending the axles tf1- of the trucks t and t and utilizing them as pivots for the trolley 'l a distinct advantage is gained over pivoting the trolleys to the trucks at any other points thereon, for the reason that thel nearer-the pivotal points are to the front or downward end of the trucks, the shorter the track-members can be made.

The excavators E E may be of any standard two-'rope type or design of digging bucket, but, as said, the grab bucket type seems precisely fitted `for the uses herein pointed out. Such buckets are simple in construction, strong, positive inv action, and unlike other forms of excavators in the art concerned, may be related tothe car-member of a combination, and worked laterally of the same, Without undue tortuous strains upon such, or other members or parts.` The spades, when spread, are vertical, ory nearly so, and, when so lowered on the material, their penetrative effect is at a maximum and such as to insure, first, a full purchase for the load, and, then, under the principle of their construct-ion, the maintenance of the initial depth as the material is drawn together in the bucket. In material ofthe kind in question, therefore, the excavationv left by each load-gaining operation, is always a prismshaped cavity of well and uniform proportions, and the method of removing such material, which emphasizes a trench formation in the process, may be effectively carried out by the use of the special kind of excavator as `herein pointed out.

Whatever the kindiof bucket used, however, it must be of such width that there will be no danger of interference with vtrains v passing on the adjacent track, and, further, it will be understood, as the term excavating bucket is used herein, it is intended to comprise any suitable self-filling digging bucket whether the same is of the class usually re-y ferred to as two-rope, orsingle-rope, coal, ore, stone, grab or clamshell bucket, or, whether or not the blades-of the same are specially equipped with teeth1 to. increase their penetrative effect.

Some railroad companies see lit, or have occasion, to remove the ballast, for renovation, or other purposes, only from between adjacent tracks, but other companies require the ballast to be taken up that lies on the outer tracks of a plurality track system, or that the sides of a. single track system known as shoulders be removed.

As these shoulders have a pronounced -vatc the ballast along the shoulders because the bucket will careen and topple the moment it strikes the shoulder'when lowered onto the same. By the unique manner in which the bucket is connected to the supporting trolley in this invention, it cannot careen or topple, but a substantially upright position is insured for the same, and

always maintained, which makes it an cellent instrumentalityfor excavating under the conditions explained.

As shown, the top-block member of the excavator is pivotally connected to the trolley T in such manner as will permit it to swing or oscillate in a longitudinal direction.

By connecting the grab buck-ett E directly to the trolley T, as said,'another distinct advantage is gained, namely; the weight of the trolley and trucks is carried by the bucket when its digging edges strike the ground, thereby giving the digging force, or power, necessary or desirable for excavating ballast," or other refractory material, that has lain in place for a number of years'.

The usual bucket sustaining and operating ropes 4are employed. rIhe bucket closing rope CR is reeved inV the customary manner. i. e., it leads'from the hoisting drum D over a deflecting/sheave S in the upper part of the frame structure to andaround the top and bottom block sheaves that are part of the bucket proper.- The bucket sustaining rope SR is led vfrom its hoisting drum lD over a second deflecting sheave S2, (beside the sheave S) to the trolley beam T where' it is securely fastened.

A plow supporting frame PS is located in the car-body between the frames B and B. llt is slidably mounted on ways W W for lateral adjustment. 'lhe plow support PS car-v ries a plow-beam PB obliquely mounted in the same, on the guide rollers r r; rollerl r2 is provided to keep the beam PB against the rollers 7" r. The beam is further provided with a rack R adapted to be engaged by the gear and pinion mechanism R on the plow support PS. The lower end of the plow-beam PB is bent from the oblique to the horizontal and engages the top side of a plow PP. rlhe plow and beam may be retracted to the position shown in dotted line (see Pig. VH) by means of the rack and pinion mechanism and a lateral adjustment screw V.

`Upon the car platform, at one side of the longitudinal median line thereof and` under the range of travel of the, excavators,` is located a conveyor K. It extends from 4the front end of the platform in parallel relation with the floor thereof to a point just to the rear of the frame-structure B from which point it proceeds upwardly and rearwardly to a gravity screen X which is near the rear end of the platform, and which is adapted to receive 'the fouled ballast discharged onto the conveyor by the excavators E, E. The screen X is inclined from the conveyor K downwardly to the rear until it meets the top of a bin Y at the rear of the platform. The bin Y is adapted to receive the screened ballast from the screen X and to retain or discharge the same into the excavations made by the excavators E E. A means Z for dispo-sing of the screenings from the screen X is shown as being adapted to discharge the same into convenient railroad cars RQ RC, which are provided with conveyors K for distributing the screenings into the several cars for the purpose.

\ There are several ways of propelling the apparatus while it is performing its renovating functions, as by traction through its supporting truck-wheels, by outside power such as a locomotive, and by pulling as by means of .a cable and winch. the winch being located on the car-body and the free end of the winchs cable being fastened to some anchorage. Figure lll illustrates the cable and winch idea A winch .W is located on vthe front end of the car A and a cable W2 leading from the winchs drum is .anchored to a locomotive L -at a distance ahead of the apparatus. A vpower generating unit U is indicated near the rear end of the car A.

'lo operate the apparatus after it has been taken to the site, it is first necessary to pro- -je'ct the lower end of the bucket guides G-G outwardly from their retracted or traveling positions, by means of the crank mechanism M to positions that will permit the buckets or excavators E, E to clear the ends of the ties whenlowered for digging. An excavation is now made by the front or head bucket E, the bucket is then hoisted to the dumping position where its load is discharged, 1n the present instance, onto the conveyor K. After the first excavation is made the apparatus is advanced (by any means) substantially a distance not to exceed the spread ofthe bucket and stopped;

while the apparatus is being moved to thissecond digging position, the plow PP is in troduced into the excavation first made and forced toward the ties of the adjacent track until it has reached the position shown in Fig. VH, the rearl bucket E', however, is not brought int-o play until such time as it can reach and excavate the material that the plow has forced or deflected into the trench made by the' head bucket. The buckets now should work in unison. The lconveyor K 'receives' the fouled ballast from the excavators and carries it'to the screen vX where it is screened, the screened ballast falling into the receiving bin Y and the screenings dropping to a boot Z of the elevator Z, which, in turn discharges them onto a' conveyor on railroad cars. RC, that are provided for the purpose. The gate of the bin is kept closed to confine thescreened ballast until the chute is brought above the excavated spaces when it' is opened and kept open duringthe renovating process.

It will be obse-rved that because of the 'design of the guides G and G no racking mechanism is required, and with the novel correlation of the bucket and trolley, excavations can be made rapidly, two to three per minute.

As the apparatus is advanced and stopped for successive excavations during the bucket hoisting, dumping, and lowering operations progress can be made expeditiously.-

Inasinuch as the apparatus as a whole is advanced and stopped for each successive y is shown as a unitary construction, such construction, is intended to be within the invenf tion claimed, although that feature is di- I- operation.

What I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1 In an apparatus for removing material in place between adjoining railroad tracks and raising the same to a wheeled platform, or oarfb'ody o n, and adapted to traverse one of said tracks,u the combination, with such platform, of an elevated frame-structure thereon, trolley tracks, spaced apart through their lower portions to a width greater than thespread of the excavating bucket hereinafter named, pivotally connected to the upper part of said structure, and extending above the platform. over and "downwardly along the sideof the same to a predetermined. point above said material, a trolley mounted on said trolley tracks with its frame, or bodv member, between and pivotally connected to the wheel-trucks of the same, a material excavating bucket longitudinally pivoted to the trolley, means, on said frame structure, for raising and lowering the trolley along its tracks, means there. on for operating the bucket through its designed functions, and means on the. downwardly extending portion of said trolley tracks for ,retainingthe trucks in normal relations to their respective tracks when lowered to said portion, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an apparatus for removingmaterial in place in the space between adjoining railroad tracks and raising the same to a wheeled platform, or car body, on, and adapted to traverse one of said tracks, the combination, withsuch platform, of an elevated framestructure thereon, trolley tracks, spaced apart through their lower portions .to a width greater than the spread of the excavating bucket hereinafter named, connected to the upper part of said structure, and extending above the platform over andvdownwardly along the side of the same to a predetermined point above said material, a trolley mounted on said trolley tracks with its frame, or body member, between and pivotally connected to the wheel-trucks of the4 same, a material excavating bucket longitudinally pivoted to the trolley, mea-ns on said framestructure for raising and lowering the trolley along Vits tracks, and means thereon for operating the bucket through its designed functions, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. An apparatus for removing ballast in place at. the'side -of a railroad'ltrack and raising the v'same to a platform, or car, on and adapted to traverse the track, com/prism g such platform, a trolley-track thereon pivotally fastened at one end to and above the floor of the same and leading over and downwardly along the side of the car to a predeter- \mineddistan'ce above said material, a trolley on Y and adapted to traverse said trolleytrack, an excavating `bucket longitudinally pivoted to the trolley, means on the' platform for raising and lowering the trolley along its tracks, and means thereon for operating the bucketthrough its desigred uses and functions, substantially as shown and described.

4. An apparatus for removing ballast in place at the side of a railroad track, and

raising the same to a platform, or car, on,

and adapted to traverse the track, comprising` such platform, a trolley-track .thereon spaced apart to a distance greater than the spread of the excavating bucket hereinafter named, and fastened at one end to and above the floor of said car and leading over and downwardly along theside l of the car to a predetermined distance above said material, a trolley on and adapted to traverse said trolley-track, an excavating bucket longitudinally pivoted to the trolley, means on the platform for raising and lowering vthe' trol'-l vley along its track, and means thereon for operating the bucketthrough its designed uses and functions, substantially asshow'n and'described. i

5. An apparatus 'for removingballastin place at the side of a railroad track and liti .bucket longitudinally pivoted to the trolley,

means on the platform for raising and lowering the trolley along its track, and means thereon for operating the bucket through its designed uses and functions, .said trolleytrack being spaced apart at its downwardly extending portion to a distance greater than the width, or spread, of said bucket, Substantially as shown and described.

6. ln an apparatus for removing material `in place in the space between adjoining railroad tracks, and raising the same to a wheeled platform, or car-body, on and adapted to traverse one of said tracks, the combination, with such platform, of an elevated frame-structure thereon, spaced apart trolley-tracks connected to the upper part of said structure and extending above the platform over and downwardly along the side of the same to a predetermined point above said material within the median line of said space, a trolley mounted on said trolley tracks with its frame, or body-member, between and pivotally connected to the wheel trucks of the same,y an excavating bucket longitudinally pivoted to the trolley, means on the frame structure for raising and lowering the trolley along its tracks, and means thereon for operating said bucket through its designed functions, said trolley-track being spaced apart at its downwardly extending portion to a distance greater than the width, or spread, of said bucket, substantially as shown and described.

. 7. An apparatus for removing ballast in place at the side of a railroad track, comprising a supporting platform movably mounted on said track, carrying a pair of excavating y buckets lowerable over and down the side thereof, in alignment with each other, upon the ballast next adjoining the track, means carried by said platform projectable outwardly therefrom for reaching and progressively breaking up the ballast beyond the working range of said buckets, and deecting the same into the ycavities successively excavated by the forward member of said pair of buckets in the path of the rearward member thereof, means on the platform for lowering, raising, dumping, and otherwise operating the buckets in their designed movements, and means thereon for projecting said breaking up and delectmg means, to and from the platform, substantially as shown and'described,

8a In an apparatus for removing ballast material in place in' the space between adjoining railroad tracks and raising the same to a wheeled platform, or car-body, on and adapted to traverse one of said tracks, the combination with such platform, of a plurality of elevated frame-structures thereon, trolley tracks pivotally connected to the upper part of said structures respectively, extending above the platform over and downwardly in alignment with each other, along the side ofthe platform to a predetermined point above said material and within the median line of said space, a trolley mounted on each of said trolley-tracks with its frame, or body member, between and pivotally connected to the wheel trucks of the same, an excavating bucketlongitudinally pivoted to each said trolley, an obliquely disposed plow slidably mounted on the platform rearwardly of the foremost of said structures, and means for laterally adjusting and retracting the same with relation to the platform, means on said structures for raising and lowering their'trolleys along said tracks, and means thereon, in each case, for operating the buckets pertaining thereto through their designed functions, said trolley tracks being spaced apart at their downwardly extending portions to a distance greater than the width, or spread of said buckets, substantially as shown and described.

9. A method of removing ballast material in place between adjoining railroad tracks consisting in the separate and successive excavation of uniformi and connected areas of a strip of said material along the side of one of said tracks, hoisting the material as so excavated to and upon a car movably mounted on said track and discharging the same lat such point, alternately with such excavating, hoisting and discharging operations and without occupying clearance spaces for overhanging cars on the other of said tracks, breaking up and deecting into the cavities left by said excavations the portion of said material in place between each successive cavity and said other track, and, simultaneously with each said successive excavating, hoisting and discharging operations, a similar excavating,- hoisting and discharging operation of themateria-l broken up and deflected, as aforesaid, substantially as shown and described.

10. The described method of removing ballast from its place between the ends of the cross-ties of adjoining tracks, and transferring the same to a wheeled truck on one of said tracks, consisting in successively excavating" at equidistant points, or intervals thereof, a connected series of substantially uniform and unitaryesections of and making up a rectangular strip or portion of said ballast material along said track; movlng said truck progressively alon the track to said points of excavation; simultaneously lill with said movements of the truck, plowing or otherwise dislodging and deilecting into the cavities made by said excavations, the portions of the ballast material in place 5 bordering on said cavities; successively excavating from said cavities the material deflected therein; raising the material as excavated from said strip and said cavities, to said truck and discharging the same when s0 raised, substantially as shown and describedl 10 ln testimony whereof l hereunto sign my name.

ERNE ST W. TAYLOR. 

